No surgery, but Warne's Test hopes not stitched up

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Shane Warne is rated only a 50-50 chance of playing for Australia in its two Tests against Sri Lanka next month after news that he does not need surgery for a broken bone in his left hand.

Warne, who broke the metacarpal bone while batting for English county Hampshire against Essex on Friday, will have his recovery monitored by Cricket Australia medical staff before a decision is made for the Tests in Darwin and Cairns.

"Shane consulted with a hand specialist in England overnight and the pleasing news is that he won't require surgery," said Cricket Australia medical officer Trefor James yesterday.

"In consultation with the medicos at Hampshire, we will be doing everything possible to speed his recovery, but at this stage it appears as if he is a 50-50 prospect of being available for the Test matches.

"We will keep a close eye on his recovery over the next couple of weeks and pass on our findings to the selectors."

With the first Test starting in Darwin on July 1, selection chairman Trevor Hohns said no decision had been made on a possible replacement. Fellow leg spinner Stuart McGill is the obvious choice if needed.

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"We will give (Warne) as much time . . . as possible, but if he isn't 100 per cent fit, then he won't be selected," Hohns said. "At this stage, though, no player has been placed on standby or nominated as a possible replacement for Shane. We just want to see how the injury progresses over the next few weeks before looking at that scenario."

Warne, the Hampshire captain, was hit on the hand by a delivery from former England paceman Darren Gough but stayed at the crease to make 34 runs. He bowled four overs as Hampshire recorded a 114-run win but removed himself from the attack because of the pain in his hand.

. . . if he (Warne) isn't 100 per cent fit, then he won't be selected."Trevor Hohns

After initial X-rays revealed a break, Hampshire physiotherapist Pat Farhart said Warne would probably miss three to five weeks of cricket.

If the 34-year-old Warne was to miss Australia's home series against Sri Lanka next month, it would be a major blow to his hopes of over-taking Sri Lankan rival Muttiah Muralitharan as the world record wicket-taker.

Warne has 517 Test wickets, two behind retired West Indies paceman Courtney Walsh and 10 behind Sri Lanka's Muralitharan, who took over at the top by reaching 527 wickets during his country's recent whitewash of Zimbabwe.

The Australian had already been denied one chance to close the gap on his Sri Lankan rival after the world champions cancelled their planned Test series in Zimbabwe last month.

But Muralitharan has been threatening to boycott the Australian tour for months, saying persistent criticism of his bowling technique and fatigue have forced him to consider a two-month spell from cricket.

"Things have happened that I need a break," Muralitharan said in a newspaper interview. "I have played so much cricket and achieved what I wanted to achieve.

"I (may) take a break, a fresh start and play for another seven years. But I haven't decided yet."

Muralitharan said Australia's choice of two Top End venues also did not appeal to him.

"They have not given important places to us," he said.

Muralitharan was expected to return to Sri Lanka from a business trip to England next week and give the national cricket administration his decision on touring Australia.